Hockley Railway Viaduct

Submit a new image

Reference WMO/258713

Address:

Hockley

Winchester

Winchester

England

Open large map
Edit memorial name, location & address
Status: On original site
Type: Non freestanding
Location: External
Setting: Attached to a building/structure
Description: Board/Plaque/ Tablet
Materials:
  • Metal Metal (any)
Lettering: Inscribed on a plaque
Conflicts:
  • First World War (1914-1918)
About the memorial: Hockley or Shawford Viaduct as it was variously known was built to carry a single track railway over the River Itchen and surrounding Winchester water meadows. It was designed by the engineer William R Galbraith and built of brick with a concrete core. The Viaduct has 33 arches, is 2,014ft (614m) long and Southampton University Industrial Archaeology Group record the Victoria era structure as the largest brick built structure in the UK and the first of its kind to feature a concrete core. The railway that crossed it opened in 1891 connecting the Didcot Newbury and Southampton Railway's Winchester Chesil station with the London South Western Railway at Shawford Junction on the outskirts of Winchester. It allowed trains to run through from Didcot to Southampton and during the First World War this route provided a vital north-south link for military supplies destined for the Western Front. Troop trains ran over the Viaduct from Winchester to Southampton Docks and ambulance trains ran in the opposite direction to Winchester, Burghclere and Highclere. During the War three large army holding camps were established to the north-east of Winchester. These were at Avington Park, Morn Hill and Winnall Down and by 1918 they accommodated over 350,000 mainly American troops. In 1919 the bodies of American soldiers being returned to the US were also conveyed by train from Winchester to Southampton Docks. British Railways finally closed the Didcot-Southampton line in 1966 and the Viaduct fell into disrepair although it was reopened as a cycleway in 2013 as part of National Cycle Route 23. It is maintain by Sustrans and Winchester City Council. The war memorial plaque recognises the important role played by this railway viaduct during the 1914-1919 Great War and the many military trains that ran over it. Alongside it is an original London and South Western Railway (LSWR) signal base which forms the memorial to the troops of many nations that passed this way.
Edit memorial details
Report this condition update

View more details

Grants to support the repair and conservation of war memorials are available from the charity War Memorials Trust if it has raised funds. Support is focused on war memorials in Very bad or Poor condition or where there is a serious Concern.

Before applying for a grant you should read the advice available on War Memorials Trust`s website. The What we can and cannot fund helpsheet explains what types of work the charity can fund.

If you believe your project is eligible for a grant you should complete the Pre-application enquiry form. You will need to be registered and logged in to complete this.

The Pre-application enquiry form is a series of questions to see if your project is eligible. If it is, you will need to provide further details and submit current colour photographs of the war memorial in either a png, gif, jpg or jpeg format.

You can save your Pre-application enquiry form as you go along. Once submitted War Memorials Trust will respond.

Please be aware that a summary of your enquiry, without your contact details, will appear on this page once submitted. This ensures others are aware that an enquiry has been made and can read the response to avoid duplicate enquiries. Information provided by you to us will be used for the purpose of managing the grant enquiry, for further details please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy .

As a charity, War Memorials Trust relies on voluntary donations and every contribution, no matter how large or small, makes a really big difference to our work. Your donation will help protect and conserve war memorials for future generations so please support War Memorials Trust’s work.

This original LSWR signal base is dedicted to the troops who crossed this Viaduct to and from the vast military camp at Avington, home to UK, Australian, Bermudian, Canadian, Indian, Newfoundlander, Nova Scotian, Russian, Serbian and US troops between 1914 and 1918. Donated by the Friends of Hockley Viaduct 2014

Information Required

Information Required

Information Required

Information Required

Information Required

Information Required

Information Required